Method of manufacturing rail anchors



Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,255

H. G. WARR METHOD OF MANUFACTURING HAIL ANCHORS Filed April 25, 1924 Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD G. WARE, 01' Pm m6], ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE P b 1! COMPANY, OF GHIOAGO, IIELINOIS, A CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS.

amazon 0! HANUI'ACTURING BAIL ANCHOR-S.

Original application fled Jane 8, 1888, Serial No. 656,840. Divided and this application fled April 28,

1954- Serial I0. 708,488.

My invention relates to the method of forming rail anchors and has for its ob ect the provision of an improved method whereby one piece rail anchors of the type OIdlnarily made by bendin a metal bar around a die, may be made wit a high degree of accuracy so that the anchor device will maintain the desired grip on the rail when it IS ap lied to its normal operative pos1t1on.

The type of anchors to which my nvention more specifically appertams, consists of a metal bar bent to provide hook-shaped aw portions for bearin against the upper nclined surfaces of t e rail base at opposite sides of the rail and with an inverted V- shaped rtion disposed intermediate the jaws an adapted to bear against the under surface of the rail base; said V-shaped portion bein so disposed with relation to the jaws, or t e jaws being formed at such angles with relation to each other as to effect distortion of the device when the device is driven transversely of the rail to its applied position.

In order to obtain maximum efficiency in anchors of the above type, (the devices relying on their resilienc to maintain the desired grip on the rail it is essential that the vertical dimensions between the V- shaped portion and thebearing surfaces for engaging the upper surfaces of the rail base be controlled with a high degree of accuracy so that the anchor will be subjected to the proper distortion when it is driven to its applied position. With my improved method, anchors of the above character may be formed with the required accuracy and at the same time be manufactured on a commercial scale.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of forming a rail anchor in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a face view of a rail anchor after the same is bent to its completed form and applied to a rail.

In the drawing, I have shown the manner in which I prefer to carry out the principles of my invention in connection with the manufacture of a one-piece rail anchor of the type having a V-sha (1 bearing arranged nearer one of its aws t an the other. This articular type of anchor is illustrated int is connection for the purpose only of emphasizing the advantages obtained by forming the smaller jaws of anchors of this type in accordance with my improved method. It will be obvious, however, that my improved method may be used to an advantage in the manufacture of other specific types of rail anchors.

In order that the method of forming rail anchors in accordance with my invention may be more readily understood, the specific type of anchor illustrated will be firstdescribed generally. This type of anchor cons sts of a metal bar bent to provide a relatively large jaw 10 at one end and a smaller aw 11 at the other which bear upon the upper surfaces of the rail base 12 at opposite edges of the rail. The bar is provided, at a point nearer the jaw 11 than the jaw 10 with an inverted V-shaped bearing 13, which bears against the lower surface of the rail. The extremities of the jaws 10 and 11 are formed with shoulders 14 and 15 which abut against the opposite edges of the rail base and are provided with surfaces 16 and 17 which preferably stand at a slightly greater angle to the horizontal than the inclination of the upper surface of the rail base when the anchor is in its applied position so as to insure engagement of that portion of the jaws near the shoulders 14 and 15 with the upper surfaces of the rail base. The bearing surface 17 of the jaw 11 is preferably made at a greator angle than the surface 16" so as to function as a cam during the application of the anchor to the rail. In this connection it will be observed that the accuracy of the angle. of the inclined surfaces 16 and 17 is not of great importance since the jaws 10 and 11 do not bear at their extremities against the upper surfaces of the rail base.

In applying the anchor the larger jaw 10 is first fitted over one ed e of the rail base and the inclined surface 1 positioned over the opposite edge of the base. The anchor may be then driven transversely of the rail (to the right of Fig. 2) until the shoulder 14 snaps down over the edge of the rail. During this movement the cam surface 17 and likewise the differentially disposed position of the bearing 13 with relation to the jaws 10 and 11 effect the desired distortion of the anchor.

In formin the anchor, a metal blank 19, from which t e anchor is formed, is first bent to the configuration shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The blank is then placed, while heated, upon a die 20, of a configuration rep.- resenting the finished contour of the anchor, and the ends 21 and 22 of the blank are bent around the die to form the jaw portions 10 and 11 of the anchor. The blank is held upon the die by any suitable means, for example, a pressure head 23, and the ends of the blank are bent by means of arms 24 and 25, movable on suitable guide ways 26 and 27 so as to bend the extremities of the blank into engagement with the shoulders 14 and 15 of the die 20 and thereafter against surfaces 28, 29 thereof. The shoulders are arranged with relation to the curved ends of the die so that said shoulders will function as the cen' ter or fulcrum of the final bending operation. It is desirable to form the shoulders of the die as near the curved end portions thereof as possible, for example. such as shown on the left of Fig. 1 so as to insure that the ends of the blanks will bear against the shoulders before their extremities are pressed into contact with the surfaces 28 and 29 of the die.

With the above method of forming the anchor, the vertical dimension A may be accurately controlled, since the blank will, in all cases, contact with the shoulders 14 and 15, regardless of whether or not the blanks are heated uniformly.

Another advantage of this invention is that it involves a bendin of the extremities of the blanks in contradistinction to the use of swaging pressure, such as has been customary heretofore to force the extremities firmly against the surfaces 28 and 29 of the die. The fact is it is unnecessary for the extremities of the blanks to be pressed against such surfaces of the die, since the jaw portions of the anchor normally engage the upper corners only of the rail base.

CERTIFICATE OF Potent No. 1,685,255.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 655,240, filed August 2, 1923, and which has now matured into Patent No. 1,541,084, dated June 9, 1925.

I claim:

1. In the manufacture of a rail anchor having a bearing near one end for the marginal upper surface ofthe rail base and a bearing at a place intermediate the ends of the anchor for the under-surface of said rail base, the method of accurately positioning said bearing surfaces with respect to each other both lengthwise of the anchor and vertically thereof, which comprises bending the blank to form said intermediate bearing, holding said blank on a form so as to fix the position of the intermediate bearing and bending the end of the blank around a form and over a projection thereon so as to indent the blank at substantially the termination of said bend to form the point of bearing of said end bearing surface.

2. In the manufacture of a rail anchor having a bearing near one end for the marginal upper surface of the rail base and a hearing at a place intermediate the ends of the anchor for the under-surface of said rail base, the method of accurately positioning said bearing surfaces with respect to each other both lengthwise of the anchor aind vertically thereof, which comprises bending the blank to form said intermediate bearings. holding said blank on a form so as to fix the position of the intermediate bearing and bending the end of the blank around a form and over a relatively abrupt shoulder thereon so as to indent the blank at substantially the termination of said bend to form the point of bearing of said end bearing surface.

HAROLD G. \VARR.

CORRECTION.

Granted September 25, 1928, to

HAROLD G. WARR.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, in the heading, line -5, date of filing original application. for "June 9, 1925." read "August 2, 1923"; and that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of November. A. D. 1928.

(Soul) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Fig. 1. The blank is then placed, while heated, upon a die 20, of a configuration rep.- resenting the finished contour of the anchor, and the ends 21 and 22 of the blank are bent around the die to form the jaw portions 10 and 11 of the anchor. The blank is held upon the die by any suitable means, for example, a pressure head 23, and the ends of the blank are bent by means of arms 24 and 25, movable on suitable guide ways 26 and 27 so as to bend the extremities of the blank into engagement with the shoulders 14 and 15 of the die 20 and thereafter against surfaces 28, 29 thereof. The shoulders are arranged with relation to the curved ends of the die so that said shoulders will function as the cen' ter or fulcrum of the final bending operation. It is desirable to form the shoulders of the die as near the curved end portions thereof as possible, for example. such as shown on the left of Fig. 1 so as to insure that the ends of the blanks will bear against the shoulders before their extremities are pressed into contact with the surfaces 28 and 29 of the die.

With the above method of forming the anchor, the vertical dimension A may be accurately controlled, since the blank will, in all cases, contact with the shoulders 14 and 15, regardless of whether or not the blanks are heated uniformly.

Another advantage of this invention is that it involves a bendin of the extremities of the blanks in contradistinction to the use of swaging pressure, such as has been customary heretofore to force the extremities firmly against the surfaces 28 and 29 of the die. The fact is it is unnecessary for the extremities of the blanks to be pressed against such surfaces of the die, since the jaw portions of the anchor normally engage the upper corners only of the rail base.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 655,240, filed August 2, 1923, and which has now matured into Patent No. 1,541,084, dated June 9, 1925.

I claim:

1. In the manufacture of a rail anchor having a bearing near one end for the marginal upper surface ofthe rail base and a bearing at a place intermediate the ends of the anchor for the under-surface of said rail base, the method of accurately positioning said bearing surfaces with respect to each other both lengthwise of the anchor and vertically thereof, which comprises bending the blank to form said intermediate bearing, holding said blank on a form so as to fix the position of the intermediate bearing and bending the end of the blank around a form and over a projection thereon so as to indent the blank at substantially the termination of said bend to form the point of bearing of said end bearing surface.

2. In the manufacture of a rail anchor having a bearing near one end for the marginal upper surface of the rail base and a hearing at a place intermediate the ends of the anchor for the under-surface of said rail base, the method of accurately positioning said bearing surfaces with respect to each other both lengthwise of the anchor aind vertically thereof, which comprises bending the blank to form said intermediate bearings. holding said blank on a form so as to fix the position of the intermediate bearing and bending the end of the blank around a form and over a relatively abrupt shoulder thereon so as to indent the blank at substantially the termination of said bend to form the point of bearing of said end bearing surface.

HAROLD G. \VARR.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,685, 255.

Granted September 25, 1928, to

HAROLD G. WARR.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, in the heading, line -5, date of filing original application. for "June 9, 1925." read "August 2, 1923"; and that the said Letters Patent should he read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of November. A. D. 1928.

(Soul) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

